RMBA Podcast Studios

As we continue our Getting to Know You: Principal Edition mini-series we welcome Mrs. Raquel Cedano, our General Studies Upper School Principal. In this episode, we get to hear about the journey Mrs. Cedano took, pivoting from a focus on social services to education. We can't wait for you to get to know Mrs. Cedano a little better.

In our next edition of Getting to Know You: Principal Edition, we welcome Mrs. Bonnie Blumberg to the podcast as she explores her educational journey from South Africa to Houston over 30 years ago. Her story is fascinating and we hope you enjoy getting to know her a bit better.

Our Getting to Know You: Principal Edition mini-series returns as we welcome Mrs. Rowan Bigham, Lower School General Studies Prinicipal, onto the podcast. What fun it was to learn about Mrs. Bigham sprinkled in with a few surprises along the way!

We welcome Dr. Jon Mitzmacher, Head of School at Ottawa Jewish Community School, to share his insights on creating strong parent school partnership through transparency and communication.

In the Purim spirit, we mix things up as we welcome two of our HS basketball team leaders for a sports filled discussion filled with predictions, Taylor Swift, NYC vs. Houston and so much more! Come join the fun and the excitement!

This week we introduce a new mini-series called "Getting to Know You: Principals Edition." Each of these 5 episodes (spread out over the next 6 weeks) will highlight one of our 5 directors/principals as we get to know them better as an educational leader and person. First off, Morah Rivkie.

On the heels of the DSLTI Head of School Spring Retreat, we discuss the importance of taking a moment to find solitude, connect with the world around us and remind ourselves the place we hold for ourselves, our families and the communities that we support.

We welcome Bracha Rutner, Head of School at Yeshiva University High School for Girls (also known as Central). We talk about the manner in which Heads of School juggle between designing for the now while thinking about the future.

Giving middle and high schoolers the chance to express their feelings and feedback can be a tumultuous risk. Yet, we knew that if we were going to engage in an honest Head of School evaluation, their voices were critical. What followed simply blew us away!

We are joined by Eva Turner, Head of School at B'nai Shalom Day School in Greensboro, NC as we discuss the challenges of hiring, nurturing and retaining great educators. We explore the challenges that we have faced during the past few years and some of the approaches we can take to ensure that our schools encapsulate the mission and passion that attract and retain great educators.

Everyone wins when the teacher/administrator/leader gets better. That is a mantra we at Robert M. Beren Academy believe and live by. Come here how we do that at all levels.

In the last of our three part mini-series, we wrap up the Midyear Review by naming the areas we have not reach the intended growth milestones and share a clear call to action for our second half of the 23-24 academic year as we grow from strength to strength.

In the second of our three part Mid-Year Review series, we explore the tremendous growth that Robert M. Beren Academy has experienced small and large. We always have room to grow and will never stop pushing. It is vital that we take a moment to pause and reflect on what we have accomplished before we move ahead.

If you thought we liked mini-series, you were right! As we look toward our Winter Break marking the official midyear, we look to reflect on the first half of the 23-24 academic year.

School life, as in life life, is not a linear experience. Life is disrupted by quakes that force us to respond to these disruptive forces. What does it look like to do that? How does a Head of School bring his reflective self to the table and show up for the community?

In the last installment of our two part mini-series we ask the question, "What does strategic planning, a midyear survey and a Head of School feedback plan have in common?"

YOU!

In this first of a two part series, we discuss what it looks like when parent voice meets school leaders who listen. We talk about our new Parent Teacher Conferences format and how that came about.

At RMBA, we are Better Together!

What happens when a young Head of School asks a seasoned Head of School for advice? New and creative ideas emerge that provide the space for that young Head of School to take the next step in his evolution.

For our 10th episode, we welcome Rabbi Yerachmiel Garfield, Head of School at Yeshiva Torat Emet, to discuss what it means to be a leader of an educational institution during a time of national tragedy and the lessons we can begin to apply to our leadership today.

Teachers at RMBA are not simply teachers. They are educational heroes. I think it is time we begin perceiving them as such.

When tragedy strikes, how do Jewish Day School leaders respond?

Are all types of change created equal within Jewish Day Schools? Does change work differently than in a corporate environment?

Imagine a world where Jewish Day School was affordable, where Jewish schools were able to spread their assistance dollars further and where a Jewish education is in the grasp of so many more children? That world is called School Choice. Let's talk about it!

As we approach Yom Kippur, we reflect on the areas that we hope to focus on in the year to come. As a Head of School, what are the goals I am working on and how will they improve the parent/student experience?

As we approach Rosh HaShanah and the period of reflection, we ponder the right mentality heading into the holiday and what it can teach us regarding our appreciation and dedication to our most important commodities - our teachers.

Relationships. They are the core of what we do as educators and they must be nurtured over time.

What exactly is a strategic plan and why should you care about RMBA's strategic plan initiative?

Well, because it is all about you, our parents.

Welcome to our newest RMBA podcast, Through the Looking Glass, where each week we bring you a behind the scenes look at how we make our special sauce that we call the Robert M. Beren Academy. Join us for special guests, surprises and just a fun time as we step Through the Looking Glass RMBA style.